The first film in the franchise, The Conjuring, was a critical and commercial success. It focused on the paranormal experiences of the Perron family and showcased Ed and Lorraine Warren as central characters.

In The Conjuring 2, Ed and Lorraine Warren encounter a demonic nun figure named Valak. At the end of the film, Lorraine learns the demon's name and manages to banish it to hell. while audiences may have thought the film would be the last they'd see of Valak, she returns in The Nun.